The Silence (GxG)

Chapter 14 - The Imposter

▂▃▅▇█▓▒░ Grace ░
(TW // Descriptions of violence, death and blood)

"Pass me the salt" Kenzi instructed as she continued to stir the pot of leftover stew from last night above the fire.

I did as she asked and settled back onto the small pile of blankets, where I've been sitting for the past 15 minutes, observing the tall woman as she prepared our dinner for the night.

Thankfully I awoke today feeling a lot better than yesterday, apart from the itching burn still present in both my laceration and around the site of the bite wound. I could have a small infection starting, I doubt it but Kenzi collected some antibiotics this morning just as a precaution anyway. My headaches are much less intense as long as I stay inside, but my sensitivity to things like light and sound are still stronger than before. Luckily the large bump on the back of my head has went down and the graze isn't weeping anymore, so I removed the bandage from that area this morning.
I haven't dared to leave the house since yesterday, fearing that I'll increase the intensity of my migraines again. Throughout the day I've been using Kenzis fathers cap to block out what I can by tilting my head down whenever I felt I needed less light for a while. Even inside it's unbearable for too long.

"Here you go" She said, handing me a steel tin of hot stew and taking a seat comfortably beside me, snapping me back from my thoughts.

"Thanks. I'm so hungry it's unreal" I laughed before digging into my food, earning a chuckle from the girl.

"Don't mention it..." She responded, amused by my actions "Is it warm enough?"

"Perfect" I smiled as I took another spoonful.

We ate in silence after this but it wasn't our usual 'comfortable' silence. There was a strange feeling lingering in the air. I've felt it a few times today, as though Kenzi is sitting on something that's making her uncomfortable.

"Hey, uh- I've been meaning to ask you, Is everything alright?" I asked her upon finishing my meal, opting to address the matter since she seems more tense than I do.

She put the last of her dinner down and sighed, making the features on my face scrunch in anticipation of her response.

"Yeah, actually" She began, seeming timid all of a sudden  "I've been noticing a few things about your uh- symptoms lately... I don't know. Just shut me up if I'm being stupid but don't you think it's strange how similar the signs of infection are to your illness?"

"Well... yeah? I was bitten, remember?" I asked in confusion, wondering what the hell she's talking about.

"No- I mean your other symptoms. The ones you've had since you were a kid" She clarified.

"Oh..." I replied simply, only now noticing the similarities myself when I think about it.

It's definitely strange...
The aversion to light, my struggles with anger and violent outbursts growing up, even things like my hearing have always been a little bit better than other people. It's why I've made such a great scavenger my whole life, but I just put it down to having good genes... what if there could be more to it?
No, surely not. Even after the betrayal I have experienced from Deacon, I don't see him hiding something like that from me. I would know if I've been bitten before anyway, it's not something you'd just forget about. I'd have a scar somewhere at the very least, which I don't!

"I hear you... but I don't think there's anything to it" I responded short, hoping to avoid any further conversation on the matter.

"But-"

"No, Kenzi. I would know if something like this had happened before! It's not exactly something you just forget about, is it?..."

"You're right. I'm sorry, Grace" She apologised sincerely, using my given name without any hesitation for the first time.